Wichita eagle., 1887-08-17

pears that IT was placed there by Holland
and the downward droop of the tail and
the right foot resting on cannon ball wa
emphatically pronunced by the guide to be
a Dutch lion. As the Dutch have taken
Holland, If you will pardon the resurec.
ton OF the old chestnut, we were willing
they shoul have title to this lion partic.
ular after second thought, when it occurred
to us that the British specimens were al
ways represented with tail erect. One has
grand view from the top of this huge
mound not only of the brief extent of ter
ritory over which the battle was fought,
but OF miles and miles of undulating land
scape and redtiled villages contiguous
thereto. The day was faultless and from
where we stood, the situation the day be-
fore Wellingtons army took possession of
the ground, would have appeared to a man
in balloon at the same height, much as
it appeared to us, for the intervening 81
years had effected but little change. Some
OF the timber had been cut away and earth
sufficient to complete the mound had lev
eled a portion of ground where the French
cavalry were engulphed in the suken road.
There was the same fields, checkered as l
have before described with waving grain
and succulent roots. The hamlets have
not perceptibly grown nor diminished.
The cross roads where the Iron Duke made
his headquarters, the farm house where
the Man of Destiny directed the members of
the French army, the fields where the
Scotch Greys stood like stone wall, the
spot where Wellington uttered the memoir
able words, Cup men, andjat them, are all
identically the same But there is one spot
where not,so much the ravages of time as the
devastating hand of war made a change,
and that is the hamlet of Hugumont, which
to me, as the guide described 1t, was the
most interesting portion of the battlefield.
This hamlet was of brick material and en-
closed with wall, say eight feet high,
furnishing protection to three or four
thousand men. This was Wellington's
right wing, facing south. Between this
wall and the French line was a heavy
stretch of timber which it was impossible
for Napoleon to push his artillery, when his
infantry charged through these woods
amidst the smoke of the cOntending
armies. they mistook the red brick walls
for the scarlet coats of the British and did
not discover their mistake until they were
right on to it, with no power to scale it, or
batter it down. As natural consequence
the French line, rather than fall back,
crowded to their right to get clear
OF this obstacle, and In doing so, ran into
a trap where they were exposed to cross
fire, and in less time than I have taken to
describe this episode, the French had lost
2, 600 killed and were repulsed from this
part of the field l could easily see why
Hugumont was held so tenaciously by
Wellington. 1t was the key to the whole
position, and enabled him with a force
only one third as great as that of Napoleon,
% hold his line of battle until the Prussian
army and Butcher arrived on the field and |
decided the battle. With glass you can
sweep every portion of the field and dis
;ern the smallest object, but we thought it |
worth while to descend from our exalted |
position, and after lunch walk down to
dugumont, whose walls are sadly picked
Z holes by the relic hunter. The chapel
suffered more In the battle than other por-
ions, as Napoleon, by elevating his pieces,
vas enabled to throw few shells into the
Enclosure. which set it on fire, and it is
low in ruins. AS we stood In the court
ard its gates were thrown open to admit
wagon loaded with sheaves of rye, this still
'eing habitation for peasantry who reap
lso quite another kind of harvest In the
ale of photographs and walking canes.
We spent very enjoyable day here; to
ne it was especially so. We then returned
0 Brussels and promenaded the streets
which, on account of some military review
nd huge fair then in progress, extending
long one side of boulevard taken in con.
ection with the crowded sidewalks, whe re
he mixed populace sat at tables and slipped
zine or guzzled the favorite beverage of
he country, presented an appearance as :
am told, as one would be likely
, see in Paris. shall always have pleas {
Mt recollections of the gay and festive
apital Of Belgium. NJ. STEWART. :,
TEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION I
The EAGLE has had occasion repeatedly L
uring the past two years to complain of
reched inefficiency Of the mail service in !